New path at school site in Northampton could reduce road accidents

Nick Spoors

A school in Northampton looks set to have a path installed through the site to encourage parents to park in a different street.

Earl Spencer Primary, in Streatfield Road, Spencer has struggled with high levels of congestion before and after school.

And residents have expressed worries that matters will get worse as the roll expands by a hundred pupils over the next two years.

But a planning application by Northamptonshire County Council could see a path built that would serve Brecon Street, encouraging parents to drop off and pick up there as well as the under-presure Streatfield Road.

Councillor Gareth Eales (Lab, Dallington Spencer) said: “The installation of this footpath will go some way to relieve the footfall and risk to pedestrians, so its a start.

“There are many more steps I’d like to see taken, but I want to review the success of this path first and go from there.”

The entrance to the path would be closed at the beginning of the school day and reopened before home time to keep the site secure.

Another aim of the scheme is to give safe access to the school from the Streatfield Road side of Spencer.

Councillors and parents have long been concerned that the press of vehicles and so many pedestrians has led to near-misses and accidents.

In November last year, a two-year-old girl was taken to hospital by ambulance after a car struck her and her mum in Streatfield Road.